Corpus Christi convicted killer claims unfair trial

Ramirez told a psychologist that he has changed his mind about waiving appeals after discovering he had a paternal half-sister.

CORPUS CHRISTI - The jangling of shackles in front of jurors. An ineffective defense team. Violations of the right to a public trial.

Those were among the claims presented Wednesday to a Corpus Christi judge in a bid to save death row inmate John Henry Ramirez's life.

Ramirez was convicted of capital murder in 2008 for the July 19, 2004, stabbing of convenience store clerk Pablo Castro.

Castro was stabbed 29 times and robbed of $1.25 as he was taking out trash at a convenience store on Baldwin Boulevard.

Ramirez, now 27, had decided months ago that he wanted to expedite his execution by ending his legal fight to appeal his conviction.

But last week Ramirez changed his mind because he found out he has a paternal half-sister, who he wants to get to know.

Prosecutors called three witnesses to the stand during the hourlong hearing — Grant Jones, one of Ramirez's trial attorneys, and two sheriff's deputies who helped provide security for the 2008 trial.

Jones testified that he hadn't remembered Ramirez's shackles ever being a problem in court. He said he also would've asked for a mistrial if he thought any jurors had seen or heard Ramirez's shackles.

Jones said that at one point Ramirez decided he didn't want his lawyers to present any evidence at trial, which he and fellow attorney Ed Garza honored after an intense meeting with Ramirez and a psychologist.

"I think his main concern was he didn't want to spend the rest of his life in prison," Jones said. "In the end, I thought he was making a conscious, intelligent choice. It was not emotional."

Ramirez challenged Jones' assessment in a courtroom outburst.

"How could it not be emotional?," Ramirez asked.

Jones replied that there was no way a person in that position couldn't have emotions but that Ramirez's decision didn't seem clouded by them.

Ramirez's appellate attorney Michael Gross questioned one of the deputies about the security protocols for the case and whether any member of the public was turned away from watching jury selection.

Lt. Ashley Isaac said the policy that was followed was to allow members of the public into the central jury room.

Gross pointed out Garza, one of Ramirez's trial attorneys, signed an affidavit saying he saw people turned away. Gross also brought up that some potential jurors waiting in a common area may have seen Ramirez's shackles when he was brought in for jury selection.

Ramirez's half-sister, who was among several of Ramirez's family members in court, buried her face in her hands and cried after the hearing.

Last month, Ramirez told a psychologist that life on death row was boring and tedious but that the discovery of his sibling had given him new hope to stay alive.

The hearing will resume on Sept. 26 in 94th District Judge Bobby Galvan's court.

The judge will make recommendations to the Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin. That court would then make a ruling on the appeal.

Castro's killing was one of three robberies Ramirez, Angela Rodriguez and Christina Chavez were accused of committing together in the same night. The two women were caught that night and are serving prison time. Ramirez eluded authorities until his 2008 capture near Brownsville.